posted July 9, 2009 at 15:29 EST in MLB Free Picks
Series Opener - Florida Marlins vs. Arizona Diamondbacks
Game-day: 7/9/2009
First-pitch: 9:40 pm est.
The Florida Marlins and Arizona Diamondbacks begin a four game series on Thursday night with the Marlins doing fairly well profit wise even though they are only 2 games above .500. On the money line, Florida is up +310 units. On the run line, Florida is up +624 units. They send pitcher Andrew Miller to the mound. Miller should be better than he has been so far in 2009 with a 3 and 4 record, a 4.42 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP.
The Arizona Diamondbacks, -1524 units on the money line, counter Miller with pitcher Yusmeiro Petit. The D’Backs are just a bad team and Petit is one of the reasons why. He has an 0 and 3 record, an 8.46 ERA and a 1.81 WHIP.
Here is the BetUS online sportsbook betting line for this game.
Andrew Miller – L -1 ½ +130 -125 O 9 ½ -120
Yusmeiro Petit – R +1 ½ -150 +105 U 9 ½ Ev
Here are a few online wagering trends for this game.
The Florida Marlins are 5 and 0 in Andrew Miller’s last 5 starts as the favorite.
The Florida Marlins are 0 and 4 in Andrew Miller’s last 4 starts on the road.
The Arizona Diamondbacks are 5 and 0 in their last 5 games overall.
The Arizona Diamondbacks are 1 and 7 in Yusmeiro Petit’s last 8 starts.
Miller is 1 and 1 with a 2.29 ERA against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Will that matter? The D’Backs are as hot as any team in MLB right now. They are riding a 6 game winning streak and no doubt believe that they can make it 7 against the Marlins because they’ve won 5 out of their last 7 games at home against Florida.
But pitcher Yusmeiro Petit just hasn’t been up to snuff in 2009. In his last start against the Colorado Rockies, Petit was dinged for 4 runs and 5 hits in only 3 innings of work. The D’Backs, uncharacteristically, found their bats and dispatched of Colorado 11 to 7.
Not so on Thursday night. Yes, AZ has been on fire with rookie Gerardo Parra batting .600, 12 for 20, lately. But the Marlins are the better team.
I have to pick them in this game and assume that the D’Backs win streak ends tonight.
I’ll be the Florida Marlins to beat the Arizona Diamondbacks at -125 in the sportsbook.
